Newport was forever changed with the arrival of outside Ryan Atwood four years ago. In the series finale, an emotional ending shows what happens to each of the lives that Ryan touched, including the Cohens, Coopers, and his most recent love, Taylor.

After the earthquake, Newport residents scramble to make sure everyone is alright. Sandy tells Seth to say put, but Seth does whatever he can to be with Ryan and Taylor. When Seth and Ryan finally meet back up, Seth begins to realize what it means to be a brother. While Summer and Taylor can't find Pancakes and begin frantically searching for him, Taylor sees that bonds people have with their family are greater than she could have ever imagined. Meanwhile, Julie and Kaitlin are stuck in an ice cream shop until the only man for Julie arrives to save them. But everything isn't as it seems when everyone meets up at the Cohen house.

Taylor and Ryan finally say those three words to each other, but did they both mean it? Summer challenges Seth to find something he's passionate about. Kirsten, for the first time in her life, has a realization about what Newport is really all about. Meanwhile, Kaitlin continues to attempt to break up her mother's relationship with Frank, but Julie begins to notice Kaitlin's efforts and ends up making a change. As the night comes to a close, Newport is shaken up by an earthquake.

Taylor concocts a plan to make things right between Ryan and his father. Julie continues to further her relationship with Bullit but when Julie and Frank run into each other in front of Ryan and Taylor it becomes apparent that Julie is having a secret affair with Frank. When Kaitlin finds out that Ryan and Taylor are working to get Julie and Frank together, she goes out of her way to make her mother like Bullit, forcing Julie to choose between Frank and Bullit. Meanwhile, Summer begins to question if Seth is the one for her after she and Seth get a psychic reading.

As Kirsten's 40th birthday is nearing, Ryan and the Cohen men prepare a party for her while Kirsten receives news that will forever change her life. Meanwhile, Julie has a secret love affair that Kaitlin tries to stop; and Taylor visits a therapist who gives her advice while Ryan pretends not to miss her. Elsewhere, when the plan to save Newport Chuck falls through, Che finally learns that Seth is not his soulmate.

Seth and Che take a trip together to the forest. There, Che has a dream that tells him that his spirit is in love with an unexpected someone. After the trip, Seth and Summer are finally able to speak to one another. Meanwhile, Julie finds a way back into Kirsten's life, Julie-style, Kaitlin shuts out Will, and Taylor decides that she has to stop speaking to Ryan.

Henri-Michel, Taylor's ex-husband, arrives in the O.C. to promote his erotic memoir of his times with Taylor. When Henri-Michel and Ryan meet and Ryan learns of Taylor's time in France with Henri-Michel, Ryan begins to second guess his relationship with Taylor. Seth visits Dr. Roberts in order to ask for Summer's hand in marriage while Summer visits Holly who has a vision of Summer's future. Meanwhile, Kaitlin realizes that she has feelings for Will.